a colossal waste of time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a colossal waste of time" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express that something is extremely unproductive or futile. Example: "After spending hours in that meeting, I realized it was just a colossal waste of time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

46 human-written examples

At 23, I found it a colossal waste of time, not to mention depressing.

The New York Times

But it does appear to have been a colossal waste of time, energy and federal resources.

The Washington Post

The program did, however, prove to be a colossal waste of time and taxpayer money.

The Guardian - Opinion

"And the reality is, most corporate meetings are a colossal waste of time".

The New York Times

Everyone fears that an appended session will be a colossal waste of time, as many have proved to be.

The New York Times

"I'm not sure it's not a colossal waste of time and money," he said after the meeting.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

14 human-written examples

While many are mourning this loss, the last flight of the space shuttle instead provides an opportunity to rethink space exploration and a time to cut our losses from a failed programme that has been a colossal waste of resources, time and creative energy.

The Guardian

"It's a colossal waste of our time to now have to reorganize hundreds of thousands of cases to deal with language issues and then there's no interpreter," Ms. Tabaddor said.

The New York Times

Asked by moderator and newly-appointed worldwide chief creative officer at BBH, Pelle Sjoenell, about the power of brainstorms in coming up with pure and original creative ideas, Hegarty replied that they're a "colossal waste" of corporate time and (referencing the great Italian artist and inventor): "Nobody has ever said: this great idea came out of a brainstorm".

The Guardian

They're all after your money and all are a colossal waste of your time.

Forbes

That means lots of meetings titled "status" "update" "share" and "information" – they are easy to say yes to as one-offs, but in aggregate, they are a colossal waste of organizational time and energy.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a colossal waste of time" to strongly convey that an activity or endeavor is extremely unproductive and yields no valuable results. Reserve it for situations where the scale of wasted time is significant.

Common error

Avoid using "a colossal waste of time" for minor inconveniences or slightly unproductive activities. The phrase carries a strong negative connotation and is most effective when describing truly significant misallocations of time and resources.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a colossal waste of time" functions as a judgmental noun phrase. It expresses a strong negative opinion about an activity, emphasizing its unproductive nature. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

76%

Academia

12%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Science

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a colossal waste of time" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to denote something exceptionally unproductive. As Ludwig AI confirms, it carries a strong negative connotation and expresses disapproval or frustration. While suitable for various contexts, it is most impactful when describing significant misallocations of time and resources. To avoid overuse, consider alternatives like "a monumental time sink" or "a complete waste of time" to convey similar meanings with slightly different nuances. This phrase is particularly common in News & Media, Academia, and Formal & Business contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a monumental time sink

Replaces "colossal" with "monumental" and "waste" with "sink", focusing on the amount of time consumed.

a complete drain on time

Uses "drain" to emphasize the depleting nature of the activity, instead of "waste".

an utter squandering of time

Replaces "waste" with "squandering", suggesting reckless misuse of time.

a futile exercise

Shifts the focus to the lack of results rather than the wasted time.

a fruitless endeavor

Similar to "futile exercise", emphasizing the lack of positive outcome.

a pointless activity

Highlights the lack of purpose or value in the activity.

a dead loss of time

Uses "dead loss" to indicate complete failure and wasted time.

a mug's game

An informal expression suggesting that only a fool would engage in the activity.

spinning one's wheels

An idiom meaning to expend effort without making progress.

barking up the wrong tree

An idiom meaning pursuing a mistaken or misguided line of thought or course of action.

FAQs

How can I use "a colossal waste of time" in a sentence?

You can use "a colossal waste of time" to describe something that is extremely unproductive or futile. For example, "Sitting through that meeting was "a colossal waste of time".".

What are some alternatives to "a colossal waste of time"?

Alternatives include phrases like "a complete waste of time", "an utter waste of time", or "a monumental time sink", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to say "a colossal waste of time"?

Yes, "a colossal waste of time" is grammatically correct and follows standard English grammar rules.

When is it appropriate to use "a colossal waste of time"?

Use "a colossal waste of time" when you want to emphasize that something is not just a minor inconvenience, but a substantial and unproductive use of time and resources. It's suitable for expressing strong disapproval or frustration.